regardless of how YOU feel, and this post is full irony given your handle, negro is a term associated with a very bad period in american history you probably have negro friends also, but seriously I wouldn't try to change an old white couple from using the term either. but that really has nothing to do with a politician who should be smarter and more in touch I
While I completely agree with you on the overly use of PC terms, this has less to do with the use of the word and more about the context. If we want to get rid of racism, we must learn to look past the color of skin. If not, we need to accept that races are inherently different. For starters, there is no such thing as a Negro dialect. To imply there is a Negro dialect, whatever that might be, is clearly distinguishing a difference between races. There is no white dialect, there is no redneck or hick dialect. There is a proper way to speak and there is an ignorant way to speak. Just as there is no such thing as a white acting black or a black acting white. Race is a color of the skin, not a way a person speaks or acts. Case in point, Obama has presented himself as an educated person and hasn't engaged in an ignorant way of thinking. His wife on the other hand ....
Well, I think It's unfortunate that you make this association, but I understand that most younger people will feel as you do. To me it's just a word that's neither good or bad. By the way, is it OK for me to use the word "Cheesehead". I believe it was originally considered derogatory, but it now seems to be embraced by many Wisconsinites. Please don't tell me I can't use the word Jazzhole.
One also has to at least wonder about this guy's personal inclinations. While I wouldn't call him an out and out racist, the hit on his credibilty is well justified. If not racist, then at least kind of stupid. WTF would he use the term "Negro dialect" in front of reporters?!? Being a leader of the Democrat party - shouldn't he know better? I would think any politician should know better. You have to question his judgement at the very least.
Free at last: Reid adds 'skin lightening therapy' to health reform bill [rquoter] By: SCOTT OTT Examiner Columnist January 12, 2010 Sen. Harry Reid, in an effort to increase the popularity of the imperiled health care reform bill, on Monday added a provision requiring insurance companies to pay 100 percent of the cost of treatments intended to lighten the skin of African-Americans. The news came a day after the revelation that in 2008 Reid had said Sen. Barack Obama's presidential chances were good thanks to his relatively pale pigment and lack of "Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." "It's not fair that the path to the Oval Office is blocked for my darker-hued friends," Reid said Monday. "Skin-lightening therapy will open the corridors of power to a new generation of African-American leaders. And thanks to my amendment, this treatment will be free at last." Reid said lighter skin and a "more blanco dialect" provides Democrat politicians greater chances of election in a party with "a long history of working to give African-Americans all of the privileges I have enjoyed as a pale, pink-skinned candidate." President Obama released a statement praising Reid for "his sensitivity toward those born with mahogany, mocha and walnut skin, through no fault of their own." The president embraced "this amendment, and any other expansion of government involvement into the lives of ordinary Americans." The Senate majority leader said he's still crafting a measure that would force insurers to also pay for "a dialect coach" for patients who had their skin lightened. Reid admitted he can turn off his own dialect anytime he wants, and said he usually does when he's "simply hanging, or kicking it with my residential boys."[/rquoter]
The term "jazzhole" is meant to be derogatory. Its not some innocent use of a dated term as you are saying with "negro." Anyway if someone finds a term offensive what is it to you if they find it so? I don't see how its unfortunate that African-Americans don't like to be called "negro." Also even if Wisconsinites like be called "Cheesehead" that is their choice that they have embraced that term while African-Americans have chosen to not embrace the term "negro." In this case if you are not looking to offend someone then it would be common courtesy to not use that term. That is different than in the case of "jazzhole" where you are intending to offend a Jazz fan.
Clearly Reid is a fan of Airplane: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6fZwMcoDVJM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6fZwMcoDVJM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I am so tired of people pulling the race card anytime anyone talks about a color that's not there own. Probably with the who "cry wolf in race" mentality is that it actually allows for more racism. When you labels things that aren't racist as being racist (the classic PC case) what happens is that people start thinking that racism is just PC. In other words, there is no such thing as racism. But there is. That's why PC is so damaging.
I guess I don't get what the big deal is. Nothing he said was meant to demean black people or the President. Honestly the only people who have any right to be offended are white people who are bothered that this man thinks they are closet racists who wouldn't have voted for a dark skinned black man who spoke the way black people are stereotypically thought of us as speaking. Of course, it's also very possible that Harry Reid is absolutely correct and Obama's light skinned nature and speech patterns did help him and that this country really is full of a lot of closet racists, or people who are the very least not overly comfortable with stereotypical black people.
i'm so tired of people complaining about other people pulling the race card its now a cry wolf situation, people go, "stop playing the race card" when you try to underscore when actual racism exists, with, "stop pulling the race card" you make every race issue seem like racism
It's not the intent of his words that was wrong (at least in my opinion), it was the use of the term "negro dialect". The use of the term "negro" raises eyebrows but probably isn't that bad on its own. Beyond that, though, is the implication that there is some sort of dialect that can be attributed to black people. There isn't any realistic way to spin that idea into a positive. So for that poor choice of words he should be rightly criticized and he should apologize, which has happened. If he had articulated himself differently, then I don't think there would be a problem. There is nothing inherently wrong with discussing physical features and speech patterns and their effect on a candidate's success, even in relation to race, and his point might be completely accurate. But the way he said it was offensive and is why he deserves some level of criticism.
When I listen to sports radio I can often tell the color of the caller based on their speech patterns. I am sure this is what Harry Reid was referencing. That may not be politically correct, but it is the truth. I don't think he really owes anyone an apology for anything other than people who are offended by the word negro. There is no good way for him to say what he said. If he had said "Obama has a shot because he doesn't sound black" people would be equally upset.
but you don't know what harry reid meant. first of to me, Obama sounds black, if he called a sports talk radio station would you not know he was black? honestly Jesse Jackson has to over a thicker black southern accent than Obama, but to me Obama is not much different from Al Sharpton. I don't know what point i'm getting at other than I think if you really want to delve into what Reid says, he probably means slang, or not speaking proper english vs. speaking proper english. and that's where he messes up.
Sure there is. It's difficult to get right because it's so easy to say something that sounds bad, like your proposed alternative. And remember that's all I'm saying, that the problem is that it sounds bad and you have to be more aware of what your words imply even if you aren't intending to make that implication. And even though I can't exactly articulate a good way to say it right now, you still have to be mindful not to say it if there is no good way to put it.
